Father Varia
by BleedingHeartsoftheWorldUnite
Summary: One day on a mission, Squalo finds a baby and decides to keep it. Xanxus orders that all of the Varia shall be this child's parent. Now, it's assassins jobs to bring up this baby, but can these demonic fighters pass as father figures?
1. Father Varia

Rated M for language and possible future happenings.

* * *

It was a day like any other for the members of the Varia. Blood-stained and insane with the after-taste of death. While Squalo dug around the rubble and strewn, lifeless bodies under the orders of Xanxus, his and the other members of the elite and reclusive independent assassin squad of the Vongola, otherwise known as the Varia, the boss they believed capable of being the 10th generation Vongola mafia boss.

"Why do I get stuck with all of these jobs? Those bastards go on a killing spree, and I have to clean everything up and find the target," Squalo grumbled to himself, kicking over a body to examine the face.

"Oh really, it's not as if you're doing this by yourself, Squalo-chan," Lussuria cooed as he past by Squalo.

Squalo ignored his fellow Varia member and continued to search. Without realizing it, Squalo had taken a path from the direct battlefield to an extremely barren area with only flowers and a small group of huts with considerably less damage. Once he realized that, he was about to turn back around and leave, but he heard faint crying. He thought it was a victim that had survived the onslaught, so he searched for the source to put the wretched soul out of his misery.

"Well what do we have here?" He asked aloud as he found the unexpected survivor, a small newborn wrapped in a snowy white blanket, "Might as well kill you anyways,"

Just as he swung his blade down to end the infants life, the baby grabbed at the blade and giggled joyously, stopping his tears instantly. Squalo, for whatever reason, smiled at the child and picked it up from the ring of anemone, snapdragon and yellow carnations that surrounded it. The baby smiled at him and grabbed a hand full of his silver hair.

"You're not so bad, are you?" He asked the baby, the tracess of affection and caring in his cold voice.

"Yo, we're leaving now!" Levi yelled out from a few feet away, completely ignoring the baby in Squalo's arms.

"Shut up, you asshole!" He yelled over his back at the Varia member.

Levi shrugged and left Squalo alone to a tough and life-altering decision. Would Squalo kill this innocent and adorable life like he had originally planed or would he take this child with him and raise it as his own? True, the Varia would find out sooner or later if he kept it, but being the morons that Squalo thought them to be, he figured it could be years before they figured it out. But what was one more life if he did kill it?

"Sphft," The baby blew a spit bubble and it popped in his face.

Squalo rolled his eyes, aw hell, he couldn't kill this kid. This big-eyed brat was just too cute to harm. He shook his head, there was no decision to make, this kid would now be his kid.

"Today is your lucky day," Squalo said to the infant child and carried him back to the waiting Varia.

It was too much of a pain to try to hide, so Squalo didn't even bother trying to hide the cheerful babe. Bel was the first to notice Squalo and the baby.

"Shi shi shi, what's the meaning of this?" Bel laughed, unable to fathom why Squalo was holding the baby.

"If you pay me enough, I could take that kid off your hands," Mammon said greedily from the top of Bel's royal blonde head.

"Like hell! None of you lowlifes are even going to touch a hair on his head!" Squalo threatened, his fangs barred at the lot of his teammates.

"I think it's wonderful to see Squalo-chan be so protective! It will be so nice to have a new face around the place!" Lussuria sided with Squalo, much to the annoyance of the later.

"Like Xanxus-sama would let you keep the brat," Levi said without a concern in the matter.

"What wouldn't I let happen?" Xanxus asked, stalking up stealthily behind Levi and scaring the shit out of him, "Squalo, answer, this seems to concern you,"

Squalo stopped toward the boss, "I found this kid,"

Xanxus closed his eyes as he listened to Squalo's story, opening them slowly as he made up his mind on his final decision, "I think we should keep the kid,"

"Excuse me? I'm a prince, I shouldn't have to raise some kid," Bel glared at Squalo and the baby as he tried to plead his way out the situation in the most dignified manner possible of a prince.

"Think of it this way, you can teach this child to be more noble than the likes of these ruffians without having to even touch a woman," Lussuria shuddered at the thought.

"Unlike you, I'd rather go the woman route," Bel muttered darkly, speaking as if that was the lesser of two ultimate evils.

"Then it's settled, we'll raise this kid, but Squalo is ultimately the main father figure," Xanxus declared, meaning that they would all teach the child valuable skills, but Squalo would have to raise the kid with only volunteered help.

Suddenly, as if triggered by Xanxus's order, the baby started to cry. Nobody moved at all as they just stared at each other. Squalo too didn't know what to do, so he just looked at the baby. Finally, as the tears wore on everyone's last nerve, Bel shouted at Squalo to do something.

"Hurry and shout Belphegor II up right now! He's killing my princely ears," Bel shouted with his hands over his ears.

"Belphegor II? No, I think Rich is a much better name," Mammon started a naming war with that single sentence alone.

"No, he should be Xander or Xi or something like that for the boss!" Levi jumped into the conversation heatedly.

"Hardly appropriate. The baby should be named Vanilla, or Van for short," Lussuria suggested, playing on the Vongola family's favoritism of the letter V.

While they fought, Squalo had found out that the baby was in need of a diaper change. So, while everyone was beating everyone else up, he went into a barely standing store and grabbed what was needed.

"Squalo, what's taking so long?" Xanxus, who just sat on on large hunk of building and watched his subordinates fight and Squalo handle the baby, asked in an irritated voice, "Can you not do something so simple as change a diaper?"

Hearing his boss's pissed-off voice stirred the paralyzed Squalo, "No,"

Xanxus sighed at his underlings stupidity and went over to replace Squalo at the makeshift changing table. He let out a booming roll of laughter as he saw what had so effected Squalo. Surprised to hear their boss laughing, everyone ceased fighting and stared over at Xanxus to see what had sparked his laughter. They too were amused and shocked to see what the problem was.

The elite and reclusive assassin group the Varia stood around as they began their first steps as fathers. Squalo and Xanxus stood before the baby that they were changing and the rest of them just watched in amazement. Finally, after the diaper was changed on the baby that Squalo had found, everyone had found their voices again.

"That baby....That baby isn't a boy," Levi managed to force out what everyone wanted to say.

"Well spotted, you fucking moron!" Squalo hissed at Levi.

"Watch your fucking mouth in front of the damn kid," Xanxus snapped, a sudden protectiveness absorbing him and the rest of the Varia.

"So, what do we call it?" Bel asked, probably the most disturbed to find out that the baby was a girl and not a boy like everyone assumed.

"Does anyone know any girlie names?" Lussuria, who was the fastest to recover, asked the group.

They looked at each other in shock and dismay. If Lussuria didn't know any female names, they no one in the group did. Or was that the case?

"I have a book that might come in handy," Bel admitted boredly, acting as if he was speaking to himself rather than his teammates.

"I don't know what surprises me more. The fact that Bel has a book or the fact that he can read," Mammon snickered.

"What a minute, Mammon's a baby, maybe he can help us" Levi mused out loud.

They ignored him, because they all knew that wasn't the case at all. Xanxus grew bored of their prattle, so he stood up straight and grabbed the baby girl in his arms. They all moved froward anxiously, but Squalo was the most noticeable. Xanxus smirked at how attached Squalo had already become.

"Relax. I'll take the baby home and on the way, you all can get the necessary requirements," Xanxus took the job that he thought would be less aggravating, not the easier job.

"Uh, can I come with you? We need to get our little bitches ready, and I think I can whip them in shape the fastest," Bel requested, calling his and the rest of the Varia's grunts so kindly.

Xanxus thought it over, "Do whatever you want,"

* * *

My second KHR fic. The first was/is "Love is Timeless, Isn't It?". It's a GokuderaxOC fic. Pitch over. I don't own KHR.


	2. A Girl Named After a Flower

So, after finding out that the baby boy was really a baby girl, the Varia, minus Xanxus and Bel who had gone home with baby, had to go to the store to buy the required objects that babies needed, not that they had the fainest idea of what they needed.

"God dammit, why is there never any parking?! I could destroy the entire city faster than it takes to find a parking spot!" Squalo drummed his fingers impatiently against the steering wheel.

"Why don't we just-"

"Levi, no one is leaving this automobile until we find a spot!" Squalo hissed at Levi, who was cramped into the backseat with Lussuria and Gola Moska while the infant Mammon got the front by himself, which normally would have gone to Bel so no one had to hear him complain.

"I was just going to sugest that we park elsewhere," Levi muttered in a downtrodden tone.

Squalo rolled his eyes and spotted a parking spot. As he was at an awkward angle, he reversed so he could pull into the spot. Seconds before the spot became his, another car stole it from right under his nose.

"That is it! I've had it up to here with these assholes!" He squeezed the stearing wheel so hard, the leather riped open under his hands.

"I wonder if Xanxus-sama is having half as hard as a time?" Levi asked himself, even if he doubted the boss had a had a single trouble in his entire life.

* * *

He was, even with Bel's help. As soon as they entered the Varia living quarters, the baby started to cry louder than she did when they need to change her diaper. They both wondered how the girl hadn't blown out her lungs yet with the sheer volume of her crying.

"Bel, you try to make her laugh while I find her something to eat," Xanxus handed over the girl for the first time since he had picked her up.

Bel took her and looked at her skeptically, this being the single most frightening moment of his young life. She smiled at him but kept crying. Bel, who had no idea of what to do, put his finger in front of her face. She grabbed it and her smile grew ten times in size.

While Bel was having his moment, Xanxus searched frantically around the kitchen for something suitable to feed to a baby. Yes, even he had the sense to know that babies needed soft food and milk in particular. The softest thing he could find was marshmallows, both in mini or jumbo size. Wait, what freak ate raw marshmallows in the Summer? Bel, Bel would eat raw marshmallows in the Summer or any time he felt like it, because he was a prince. Please, if that guy was really a prince in line to be King, what the hell was he doing running around here for?

"Xanxus-sama?" One of the nameless peons walked into the kitchen as Xanxus was surrounded by pots, pans, broken dishes, bent silverware, bags of spilled marshmallows, spills of various foods, and an over-exaggerated air of defeat.

"Come closer," Xanxus called to the very unlucky peon as if he was about to die, "No, closer. I don't know what to feed to mu daughter,"

Filled with questions, the overly-helpful grunt smiled at his fallen boss who had basically died a heroic death, "My sister has kids, so I know what to do. How old is she?"

Xanxus acted as if he were fighting off death, "An infant,"

The peon nodded, "Hm, someone will definitely need to go shopping then. Well, until that happens, may I suggest gathering up any mashable food and making a suitable substitute for baby food?"

"Yes, that sounds good. You do that," Xanxus closed his eyes.

* * *

A parking spot miraculously found, the Varia entered the local shopping district. Being higher on the command list, Squalo took it upon himself to led this "suicide mission that will likely take all of their lives".

"Alright, Levi, Lussuria, and Mammon will be team B, and Moska and I will be team A. Alright men, lets head out!" Squalo kept his inspirational speech short and to the point like all speeches should be.

Several shoppers gawked at each member of the Varia, but it was clear to call team A the winner. Between Moska's appearance and Squalo's yelling, the only way team B could have had a chance of winning was if they started to mug bystanders without any clothes on, and even then it was a long shot. The good thing about it though was that there was virtually no lines, but then again, that meant fewer people to help them in their goal of getting baby things for their daughter.

* * *

The helpful nameless peon showed Xanxus how to prepare food for the girl, offering advise here and there on childcare. It was really good advise, but because they hadn't cleaned up the mess Xanxus had previously made in his desperate hunt for food, the peon slid in a puddle of sauce and fell to the ground, cracking his head open not only on the counter, a pot, and shards of china, but the concrete ground as well.

Hearing the noise, Bel entered the kitchen with the baby in his arms, "What the fuck was that?!"

"Are you going to help me or not?" Xanxus barked at Bel.

Bel set the baby down right in the middle of the puddle of blood and helped Xanxus drag the body from the room, "Is the food done yet?"

Xanxus answered after picking her up out of the blood, "You fucking idiot! You don't put a baby in blood! She could catch a cold,"

Bel shrugged, "My bad, my bad,"

"Damn straight it is. Here, grab the goop off the counter and help me fed the kid," Xanxus held the baby so she was facing Bel.

Bel sighed and started to fed her, "This is butler work,"

"Well you better get used to it," Xanxus glared at Bel, no less imposing with a baby in his arms

* * *

Teams A and B came back to house to find Xanxus holding the baby in his arms while Bel was reading a book out loud for Xanxus and the baby to hear. Squalo immediately was by the baby's side, however he was not alone. Everyone was suddenly crowded around the boss and their daughter. She giggled and reached out for Squall when she saw him.

"It seems she likes him," Lussuria sighed, upset that the baby didn't like him the best.

"Hey, what are we going to call her?" Mammon asked as he reviewed the recepit form the shopping trip in his head.

"That's what this book is about. It's a book on flowers, and because she's a girl, we should give her the name of a flower," Bel told the late comers.

"That's actually a good idea," Mammon complimented him.

"So far, we like Daisy, because it means innocence. But we were also thinking Blossom, like orange blossom," Xanxus informed them.

"But I like Orchid because it represents refinement and beauty," Bel added as an afterthought, "But this book says that the flower Alyssum means worth beyond beauty,"

"Much as I hate agreeing with this punk, I have to admit I like Alyssum the best," Squalo pointed at Bel with his thumb as he told the boss his opinion on the matter.

"Well, Squalo did find her, so I suppose it's only fair that he gets the final say in her name. Alyssum it is," Xanxus declared.

* * *

Jeez, 32 hits for the last chapter and counting in only it's first few hours out in the world. I'm so proud! Moving on, I know Xanxus would never act like that, but you have to admit that that part was funny. And can you imagine the Varia in a mall? I can't honestly see that happening any differently if they really were at a mall. Yep, I don't own KHR.


	3. Every Giant Has His Day

So the Varia named the baby girl that Squalo found Alyssum, after the flower. Luckily for them, Alyssum was a well-behaved baby, only crying when she was hungry, needed a diaper change, or when ever something was wrong with her. Considering her fathers were vicious fighters, she was never frightened by them. To the contrary, she loved being held and played with by all of her fathers, but perhaps the loudest one of all was her favorite. Squalo really enjoyed her company as well, vastly disliking it when he had to let go of her.

"So, when do you think she'll start talking?" Levi asked the others as Alyssum squirmed around in his arms, antsy to be fed.

"Idiot, she has well over a year before that happens," Mammon snickered at Levi's stupidity.

Bel, who's choice to feed Alyssum still amazed everyone, smiled gleefully as he fed the tiny baby her mushy gooey baby food, "When do you suppose she'll start remembering things?"

Xanxus, who was almost always near the baby, spoke up, "About that, it'll be impossible to control our tongues around her, but I absolutely forbid her from finding out what we do for a living,"

Lussuria shook his head, "You do remember who we are, right? I mean, that be especially impossible for prince the ripper. Killing is his main personality trait, aside from insanity,"

"Shi shi shi, he's right," Bel laughed.

Xanxus exhaled deeply before continuing, trying to keep his temper in check for the sole sake of Alyssum, "If you let it slip, you better make her think it was a joke or your imagination,"

"Well that sounds reasonable," Lussuria said to keep the peace.

"So, did you tell Squalo that already?" Mammon asked Xanxus.

* * *

Flashback:

_Squalo sat at Xanxus's desk, waiting to talk to his fearsome boss. Xanxus saw Squalo in his seat and was ready to kill him, but Squalo was smart enough to think ahead and have Alyssum in his arms. Xanxus walked over to Squalo and Alyssum and bent down, keeping his attention on the girl._

_"What do you want Squalo?" He asked, examining Alyssum's hair growth._

_"Alyssum. I'm worried about her growing up in this place. If she sticks around these pieces of trash, it is possible that they could effect her. I want her to be normal, but with this lot, that will be impossible," Squalo smiled down at his charge, "She needs better than that,"_

_Xanxus finally looked at Squalo, "And how would you propose that we keep our life-style a secret?"_

_"Forbid anyone from letting her know about our world," Squalo pleaded for his daughter._

_"We can do nothing about it when she leaves this place," Xanxus stared at Squalo, waiting to hear his response._

_"Then we'll keep her here, where it's safe for her. She's a good kid, so I don't think she will disobey us and leave," Squalo put all of his hopes and faith into her listening to at least one of the Varia._

_Xanxus thought about it for several minutes, "Very well then,"_

_"Thank you sir," That killed Squalo to say, but for Alyssum, he put up with anything, all of them would._

* * *

"He has already been informed," Xanxus grabbed Alyssum from Levi, "I'll put her to bed. You should all focus on tomorrow's mission now,"

They grumbled about it, but they did as they were told and went off to prepare themselves for their mission. Xanxus carried Alyssum to her double master bedroom, located between Squalo's and his own rooms, across the hall was Bel's, Mammon's, Lussuria's, and Levi's rooms. Xanxus carried her to her room in silence, however, once the door to her room was closed, he started to talk to her. He knew it was safe to open up, because all of the rooms were soundproof.

"Alyssum, sweet, sweet baby Alyssum, you are in dire need of a haircut, aren't you?" He cooed to her in baby talk.

She smiled at him as she blinked her sleepy little eyes.

"Alright, my sweet little angel, let's put you to bed, shall we?" Xanxus said as he put her in her crib, "There now. So, what story do you want to hear tonight? The story of how I crushed the Gilliphore family or about how I almost killed the Vongola IX and became the Vongola X?"

Alyssum yawned and closed her eyes.

"Yeah, I agree. I'll tell you about my bloody defeat of the Gilliphore family," Xanxus nodded.

* * *

Squalo came back from his solo mission with a present for Alyssum. It was a book about nature, and it was way bigger and longer and better than the book that Bel gave Alyssum after naming her from a flower in it. And so he wasn't bested, he wrote his name so big on the inside cover, you almost couldn't read who the book was from. Squalo walked into her room to say goodnight to her, and he found Xanxus asleep in the spring green chair next to her white crib. Squalo slid out of the room and headed for his own, cursing his leader as he did so.

* * *

The very next day, Alyssum woke up crying. It wasn't her usual earspliting screams either, so they all knew that something was wrong with their pride and joy.

"Oh what to, what to do!" Lussuria asked himself, tapping his impatiently while he tried to to come up with something.

"I don't think money will work here," Mammon shook his head sadly.

Squalo and Xanxus were fighting so loudly, you couldn't hear a single word they said. Moska just stood there, not being able to compute what was happening to the Varia around him. Bel wasn't there, because they had all decided that only one was needed for the mission, so he left as soon as it was decided that he'd be the one to go.

"Come on Alyssum, let's take you to the doctor," He picked up the ill child and carried her to the door.

No one noticed, so he figured he'd just let them fight it out while he played the hero and saved Alyssum. He made it outside to the car without catching anyone's attention. Levi buckled her up securely in her car seat in the back of the car and drove her to the hospital.

"Hang on kiddo, we're almost there," He gently told her as he carried her to the front desk.

"Name?" The receptionist asked without looking up.

"Alyssum, of the Vongola," He said, knowing that if he flaunted her being Vongola, she'd get immediate help.

"Yes, of course, right this way," The receptionist jumped up and led him into an open room, knowing that he was the real deal because no one spoke lightly of the Vongola mafia family.

Before he could even sit down, the doctor was in the room, "So, what seems to the problem?"

Levi held out Alyssum for the doctor, "My baby is sick,"

The doctor took her and looked at her, "She's just having some minor stomach problems, accompanied by a cold,"

"Are you sure? How do I help her?" Levi asked.

The doctor scribbled a prescription, "Here, this should help. To make sure she gets better, you better keep giving her those until the bottle is empty, even if she seems better before that,"

"Yes sir!" Levi grabbed Alyssum and the prescription from the doctor.

* * *

"Hey, where the hell is that idiot Levi?" Squalo asked, noticing that he was gone about an hour after he left, "And where the fuck is Alyssum?"

"I took her to the doctor and got her some medicine," Levi said triumphantly as he carreid her back into the room with her medicine in a bag wrapped around his wrist, under her poofy dipaer butt.

"Will she be alright?" Xanxus demanded, careing less what Levi did.

He told them exactly what had happened in precise detail. They all glared at him and wanted to scream at him, but they knew they couldn't, because for today, he was the hero.

* * *

Ok, I have nothing against Levi, it's just that this story needs an idiot to point out the obvious. So, I appointed him that idiot. I've said my piece on the matter, so that's that. I do not own KHR. The chapter title is a pun about Levi's name, which I'm too lazy to type out.


	4. Of Applesauce, Bananas, and Cake

The first year had come and gone like that after that fateful day when Squalo of the Varia, the Vongola family's independent assassination team, had found the baby girl that he and the rest of the Varia had named Alyssum, meaning worth beyond beauty in the flower language. It had been quite the roller ride for everyone, but by now, the Varia had everything under control, as much as anyone can with a baby, but they never became complacent with how things went, because they knew that someday, things would change with them and their daughter.

"Dada," Alyssum crawled over to Bel.

Over the last few months, Alyssum had learned how to crawl and stand and was beginning to grasp the spoken word. Now she never cried, unless she hurt herself, but with the baby proofing that they did, that was next to impossible for her to do. She also learned to associate Bel with food, because he was the one who usually fed her.

"She must be hungry," Lussuria looked at Bel, reading a graphic yaoi manga.

"But make sure to ask her this time, will ya? I don't want to waste anymore food if I can help it," Levi snapped, as he was the one who went shopping.

Bel shrugged and lifted Alyssum into his arms, "Are you hungry?"

Not knowing how to yes, she just smiled at him, "Dada,"

"Alright, let's fed you," Bel carried her into the kitchen.

"Hey!" Squalo shouted at Bel to remind him that Alyssum wasn't allowed into the kitchen for the time being.

Bel quickly covered her eyes and made his way to the refrigerator, "Hm, what sounds good today? Bananas?"

"No!" She shook her head.

"Alright, no bananas. Does applesauce sound good?" Bel knew that she hated applesauce, but he asked anyways.

"No!!" She screamed.

"How about cake?" Bel asked, looking at the cake that was for her birthday.

"Bleh," She shook her head again.

Bel sighed and continued to ask what she wanted. Everything they had, she said no to, so he had to go through the list twice before she gave a different answer.

"Naners," She asked for her favorite food.

"Bananas it is," Bel grabbed the bananas from the fridge and carried them in one hand while he carried Alyssum in both arms.

* * *

"Phew, that was close. For a minute, there, I thought that her party was going to be ruined!" Squalo sighed in relief.

Xanxus shook his head, "You really get into this stuff, don't you?"

Squalo dropped the balloon he was holding, "Say that again while reviewing my assignments, I dare you,"

"I can't deny that you certainly are handling your work better, but I'm just saying, it's funny to see how much you care for that girl," Xanxus finished tying orange ribbons on the purple balloons and purple ribbons on the orange balloons, and doing the same for white and yellow.

"I'm not the only one who loves her you know," Squalo relaxed a little.

"I'm not saying that you are," Xanxus shrugged, "But you certainly are the most attached to her,"

"Bah," Squalo knew it was the truth though.

* * *

"Lussuria, can you take her from here? I need to help the boss," Bel handed Alyssum over to before he could answer, "Join us once she's asleep,"

Lussuria looked at Alyssum and wiped off her face, "Alright little one, it's nap time,"

"No," She yawned sleepily.

Lussuria smiled at her and carried her to her crib, "You're too adorable! I bet you're going to be quite the knock-out when you grow up. In fact, you may even rival me someday,"

* * *

"Chi, why do I get stuck with cleaning you?" Levi sulked as Alyssum splashed around in the sink, "Bel gets to fed you, Lussuria puts you to sleep, Squalo does pretty much everything else, and what he doesn't do, the boss does? Don't get me wrong, your cute as a button and you should know that I'd put my life on the line for you, but why do I have to shop and clean?"

As if she knew he was down, Alyssum out her hands reassuringly on his, "Dada,"

He smiled at her completely cheered up, "Yeah, your right. I am one of the core members. without everything would be lost. Besides, at least I do more than Mammon for you,"

* * *

"So that cretin thinks I don't do anything for Alyssum? I'll show him, even if I was waiting for a later date to do this," Mammon said, spying on Alyssum because of suspicions that the Varia were mistreating her.

Mammon used a great deal of power to pull this off, but Mammon knew that this gift would last forever, as long as this planet was alive, so this would the first part of this gift. The second part of the gift was a will stating that all money Mammon earns and has ever eraned will be given to Alyssum in the event of Mammon's death.

Mammon smiled as the pulled the will out of a box labled 'those who open this without permission will be cursed', "Happy birthday, sweet Alyssum,"

* * *

"So, what did everyone get her?" Lussuria asked as everyone of the Vaira but Mammon was gathered in the kitchen.

"Shi shi shi, I got her a plushie," Bel laughed, proud that he had picked out and bought the gift himself.

"Yeah," Levi drew the word out for as long as he could, "Like that will be hard to beat,"

Bel drew one of his knives and held it threateningly at Levi, "Then what'd you get her?"

Levi smirked proudly, an overly dramatic sense of pride and achomplishment in his stance, "I got her a book to put things in, like a scrapbook but better,"

"Lame ass. What use is that?" Squalo demanded.

"Tch, you're just a barbarian, swinging your sword around and blather on like an idiot, so I wouldn't expect you to understand," Levi went too far with that, but luckily for him, at that exact moment, Alyssum caught everyone's attention.

"Mama," She ment to say Mammon, but it was close enough.

"Mama? Does she mean Mammon?" Lussuria asked in complete bafflement.

"Well no shit Sherlock," Squalo smacked the back of his head.

"I wonder why she's calling out for that greedy bastard?" Bel puzzled to no one in particular.

They all left the kitchen and ran to find Alyssum and see what the problem was. She was safe in her room. At least, the area that was her room. As they all poured into her room, they saw what looked like a vast and endless field of every sort of flower imaginable. Her crib had been covered completely with flowers and vines of ivy hung from the walls and ceiling, which had replaced the plain navy wallpaper with what looked like a sky, but it was changing. The door to her bathroom and the door to her room had not changed and there fore looked very odd and out-of-place, just standing there like the portal to another world.

"Do you like her present from me? It's an eternal garden," Mammon gloated.

Well, in the race to provide Alyssum with the best gift, Mammon had clearly won this year, even though some had yet to present their presents. Well, I guess there was always next year or the year after that.

* * *

Sorry it took so long (in comparison to the other three chapters) to update! I wanted to work on it, but my computer was being the Uri to my Gokudera (expect I didn't wind up making an ass out of myself in front of the 10th and all of my friends like he did. Nah, I still love ya 59!!). Sorry, I got off track. No, I was having computer problems, my friend kept bugging me about telling him what anime to watch next (and I don't really go out of my way and watch anime like he does, so he knows about more of them than me), then I ended up reading two 6927 fics, not to mention I was waiting for the next chapter of the KHR manga and wondering how to continue this fic o' mine. So, here it is!!! See, I know I wanted to say something about the chapter, but for the life of me, I can't remember what it was that I wanted to say.

Oh yeah, I rember now (I think), I'm not sure if Mammon's a boy or a girl (I think girl, but I'm one of those people who like to know what I'm talking about before I speak), so I just skipped over the issue!


	5. Rings! Rings! Rings!

The next few years past very quickly, and before they knew it, their tiny baby daughter was a little girl. But the Varia's daughter Alyssum was well beyond her years. She wasn't even close to being ten yet, but she was so kind, mature, and soothing, it seemed as if she were some ageless angel, blessed not only with her sweet personality, but the potential of great beauty as well. If any of the Varia doubted the rule about letting her outside, they didn't now. Alyssum, or Al as was her nickname, was just too pure to be placed out in the filthy world.

Squalo was siting in his room, reading the file on what was to be their newest assignment. He almost fell of his bed as he read what Xanxus had given him and the rest of the Varia. Just what the hell was he thinking?

**Attention, all ranking members of the Varia:**

_As you are all aware, the Vongola IX is getting on in years. As such, he has already chosen his replacement when the time comes. We, the Varia, will not accept that replacement as Xanxus is his son and the rightful heir to the Vongola name. As per the conditions, Xanxus will challenge the other candidate, Sawada Tsunayoshi, for the right to compete in the Ring Conflict for the future leadership of the Vongola. Furthermore, we will send out one member to get the rings and if that fails, then the Varia's immediate removal to Namimori, Japan for the Ring Conflict will commence. If such an event occurs, an eight-room hotel stay will be booked. That is all._

Of course Squalo was ready and willing to do this for Xanxus, but he worried about Al's fate. Alyssum, who just so happened to be sitting in Squalo's room with him, looked up from the flowers she was weaving. She knew when something was wrong, and even though she rarely got the full story, she tried her hardest to cheer up those around her.

"What is it?" She asked, her voice frail and sweet.

"Xanxus may being sending us on a trip," Squalo shook his head in irritation.

Alyssum thought that he only meant some of them, because she was used to them frequently coming and going from the house, "It must be important. So who all is going?"

He shook his head at her, "Maybe all of us, maybe just one of us,"

"So, would I go too?" She asked timidly, not liking the idea of suddenly being left alone for an unknown amount of time.

"Of course you would, but only if all of us have to go," He kept reminding her so she didn't get her hopes up.

"So where might we be going?" She asked sweetly, only the purest of intentions behind her words.

Squalo wondered how this girl had not picked up on any of the numerous flaws of the Varia, especially their mouths, "Namimori, Japan,"

She nodded and finished the flower-made sword she made for Squalo, "Here, I know this won't work on anything, but it will never die,"

She smiled and handed him the sword made of pink zinnia, xeranthemum, tiger lily, thyme, sweet william, sweet basil, snowdrop, spearmint, blue salvia, rosemary, yellow poppy, iris, white heather, fennel, edelweiss, allspice, and ivy. He took it and smiled at her. She smiled back, this wordless exchange meaning so much to her.

"Let me see if I'm right, the pink zinnia means lasting affection, the xeranthemum means immortality and eternity, the tiger lily is for wealth and pride, the thyme is courage, sweet basil for good luck, sweet william is for gallantry, perfection, and finesse, the spearmint means warmth of sentiment, the snowdrop is hope, the salvia means 'I think of you', the rosemary is loyalty, the yellow poppy means wealth and success, the iris means faith, the white heather is protection from danger, the fennel is for strength, edelweiss is for for daring and noble courage, allspice for compassion, and the ivy is for friendship," Squalo and all of the others had to learn the flower language, because she was rather fond of using it whenever she could.

She nodded, even though he was a bit off by her meaning of the use of certain flowers, but then again, that is why she chose them, "You pass,"

"Al, are you happy?" He suddenly asked her.

She blinked at him, surprised that someone would ask her such a thing, "Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

"You're a sharp kid, so I know that you know that we're lying to you. I just thought it might have bothered you," That wasn't the only thing, but for now he wouldn't press the matter.

She smiled cheerfully, a dark light in the back of her smile, "I know that everyone cares about me, so they have to lie for my sake, but I still wish that I could be in the loop, because then I could help bare everyone's burden,"

"Bare our burden, huh? Well, that is admirable, but your still just a child, you shouldn't have to do such things," Squalo was thinking of the upcoming battle and it they would survive to see Alyssum again in the end.

She sighed forlornly, "So I can endure it later in my life? Listen, if I can learn to handle trouble now, just think of how it could benefit me later,"

Dammit, how could he or anyone argue against that? He couldn't and she knew it. Maybe this girl was a bit more...crafty than she was given credit for. Maybe, just maybe. Squalo cursed himself for thinking such a thing. There was no way she was like that, and if anyone would know about that side if it existed, it would have been him.

"Squ-chan?" Alyssum worriedly asked him.

He shook his head, as if to clear the shameful thoughts from hi mind, and smiled briefly at her, "Sorry about. So, you want to know the truth. I can't say that I blame you, but I wonder if you really can handle it?"

She nodded her head so wildly, it looked like it was in danger of detaching from her body, "Please, I need to know,"

He sighed, unable to resist telling her the truth he fought the hardest to keep, "This is going against my orders, you do realize this?"

She crossed her heart like little children do when promising to keep a secret, "I won't tell,"

Squalo couldn't help but smile at her, "Fine, you may not believe it or understand it, but we are all in the mafia, a special assassin team for the strongest family in the world, the Vongola. The reason we're always coming and going is because we're leaving for jobs under Xanxus, our leader. The reason we're possibly going to Japan is so Xanxus can become the leader of the Vongola,"

"And how would you all have kept that from me?" She asked not accusingly, but curiously.

"We just received the order, but I'm sure Xanxus had thought of something," Squalo doubted Xanxus had an idea, but he didn't want to put too much on her plate all at once if he could help it.

She looked down so her bangs covered her eyes, and she spoke sadly, as if someone dear to to her had just died, "What is the likelihood that someone will die?"

Squalo looked away, unable to look at her, "I'm not sure who we're up against, but I'm very confident that we will not have to go to Japan, and if we do, I've fairly sure that we'll make it back,"

Alyssum looked up, her eyes holding back tears, "How can you be so sure when you don't know who're fighting?"

He smiled surely at her, one hundred percent right in this answer, "Because we all have something we have to come back to,"

She perfectly understood that he meant her, but she just couldn't understand why all of them had to go. She didn't bother to ask, feeling that she had learned enough tonight to keep her occupied for quite a while. However, there were two questions she felt that she had to ask, but she wasn't expecting an answer. Yet.

"So, how long will it take to know?" She asked blankly, a trace of her cheerfulness still about her.

"We don't know, and before you ask, we don't know who will be going to test the waters either," He read her mind, or at least her line of logic.

She nodded, "Then promise me that the the moment you find out, you'll tell me?"

It was a simple enough request, but he didn't relish the thought of having to tell her, "I promise,"

Hey, just because he didn't relish the thought, it didn't mean that he wasn't going to tell her.

"Thank you," She smiled and hugged him.

"Yeah, yeah," He patted the top of her head, feeling both a heavy weight lifted and an impending doom at the same time.

* * *

Not two days later, Squalo found out what Alyssum wanted to know, and now hated his job of having to tell her even more now, knowing that for her, they picked the worst possible person to go.

She was in her room, picking flowers, when he found her. She was humming happily, seeming to have forgotten the talk they had. He loathed having to inform her of Xanxus's decision, but he was the only one who could. He sighed heavily, letting her know that he was there. She didn't turn, but he knew that she was allowing him to join her. She kept working as he sat down next to her.

"Alyssum, I wonder, how will you react to Xanxus's order?" He asked her, trying to keep the lump from his throat.

She dropped her work and stared at Squalo in horror, "No, he didn't pick you!"

He nodded, acting as if they were talking lightly about something trivial, "Yeah, I go in the morning,"

Alyssum, who never cried, put her head on Squalo's shoulder as she started to bawl her eyes out, "It isn't fair!"

He hugged her, "And who would be fair to send?"

She sniffed heavily, trying to failing to stop crying, "Not you!"

"Think of it this way, I'm getting picked because I have the highest chance of survival," He knew that probably wasn't really the case, but he told her that to stop her from crying.

It worked, "Yeah? Yeah, Squ-chan really is amazing!"

God, why did he have to lie to her? It was the single most horrible Squalo had ever felt, and that was saying something.

* * *

Just under a week after Squalo left in the middle of the night, he came back to the Varia. I think we all know what happens next, ne? He had gotten his target, which were the other halves of the Vongola rings. Or had he? It turns out that they had pulled a fast one on him and he knew exactly who to blame. The boss of the Chiavorone family, Dino, was the culprit behind Squalo's failure. Regardless of his success or failure, Alyssum was just wordlessly and ecstatically overwhelmed to have him back.

As soon as he walked through the doors, she was clinging to him, crying freely. The others were nothing short of puzzled, because Squalo had left before and on longer trips no less. It became quickly apparent, some got it quicker than others, that Squalo had told Alyssum the truth, and that did not go over well at all with any members of the Varia.

* * *

Ok, one of my longest chapters yet! Oh, and if my time skip bothered anyone, I'm sorry. Also, my memory is a bit foggy on the Ring Conflict, so if I left anything out or wrote something wrong, my sincerest apologies! And thank you for the reviews I've so far received!


	6. Forbiden Fruit of the Future!

One month after the Ring Conflict, where the Varia lost, Squalo had been forgiven for telling Alyssum the truth, but only because they were all too busy licking their wounds to hold much of a grudge, not to mention the fact that Alyssum had pleaded to everyone individually for Squalo's unknowing sake. But that was years ago. Now, Al had grown into quite the exquisite lady, not that anyone outside of the Varia knew that. She had become even more quiet on the downside, but they all figured that she would outgrow that. If not, it's not like she had a lot to say anyways. Everything she wanted to say, she couldn't. It's not that she was unable to word it, it was just that she knew that it was wrong.

"Al, are you alright, you look a bit ill," Squalo asked her worriedly as she sat next to him silently while he stratagized the Varia's newest mission.

She looked at him wistfully, "I'm am,"

He pushed his work away so he could hear her out, "You know you can tell me anything,"

She sighed, unsure of how to put it, "Well, you know how I've been quieter than usual and that I've become ill frequently lately? I actually know what is making me so sick. I have to keep a secret from those closest to me, and I just can't handle it,"

Squalo wasn't sure where she was going with this, "What's your point?"

She laid her hand over his, "Squ-chan, is it wrong to fall in love with family, even if isn't blood?"

He didn't see that one coming, "That's a tough one. It depends on what kind of love your talking about,"

Alyssum knew this was making him uncomfortable, but she couldn't stop herself, "To the grave,"

He nodded, "That kind huh? Well, I really don't know how to answer your questions. I'll you you my opinion, but don't take it too seriously, alright?"

She nodded, "Alright,"

He sighed, "Well, for one thing you really can't help who you fall in love with, and it's not so uncommon that the person you love is family. It's fucked up either way, but if it is not a blood relation, then I say it's not so wrong,"

She smiled,"Thanks, Squ-chan. But could you still agree with that if it were you?"

He frowned, suddenly noticing how close Alyssum was to him, "Al, you're a little close,"

She blinked innocently at him, "Really, it seems like we're barely touching,"

"Al," He tried to say more sternly, but he couldn't, because deep down, he really didn't want to stop himself.

"Squ-chan, it's ok to be honest now, I'm no longer a little girl," She edged slowly closer to him, quickly closing in most of the space between them.

He shook his head, "No, this isn't right, I raised you for Christ's sake,"

She parted her lips, "But you said that it's alright because we're not blood,"

"I thought you were talking about someone closer to your own age," He tried to resist her.

She scoffed, "Please, don't insult me. I love them, but to me, they're just family. Now you on the other hand, you are so much more to me,"

"Al, please, we can't do this," He pleaded with her, losing all of his restraint and kissing her waiting mouth.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, "Squ-chan, you have no idea how long I've been for that,"

He ignored her words and kissed her again, making the kiss longer and harder. She went willingly alone with it, in fact she even went so far as to enter the tongue tango with him. It probably would have entered dangerous territory if they weren't so rudely interrupted with only seconds to make it look like nothing had happened.

"Oi, Sharkbait, are the plans done yet? The boss wants them like, now," Bel asked, reading something so he didn't really see the scene before him.

Squalo grit his teeth, wanting so badly to kill the "prince" right now, "Does it look like I finished them?"

Bel looked at the two before him, "It looks like you two were playing tonsil hockey,"

Alyssum blushed and looked away.

"Idiot, do you really think she'd do something like that?" He snapped at the blonde.

He strached his chin for a second, "Sorry Al, I know you would never do sonething like that. Him on the other hand....I wouldn't want to come within twenty meters him if I were a woman. Seriously, I give you serious respect for always being with _that_,"

She shook her head at Squalo in warning. He glared at Bel, but he listened to Alyssum. Bel didn't seem to notice as he sat down across from Squalo and Alyssum. Squalo sighed and grabbed his work again, muttering darkly about the death of a certain prince. Bel pretended not to hear him as he spun one of his knives in his hands.

Alyssum stood up, "I'm going to sleep,"

Bel nodded. "Shi shi shi, bored already? Can't blame you,"

Squalo caught the look she gave him before leaving, "See you later, Al,"

* * *

She went to room and stretched out on her bed, wondering how long it was going to take. Well, she was just happy to know that the feelings she's had since before the Ring Conflict were returned. There was just some cosmic force that drew her to Squalo. She tried not to like him countless times, but she could never once stop thinking about him, so she resigned herself to her fate of forever loving him.

* * *

Work done not five minutes after she left, Squalo gave the papers to Bel to give to Xanxus. He didn't move once Bel was gone. He knew he had to think all of this through, now that she wasn't here clouding his mind.

"God dammit Al, you never can be easy to deal with, can you?" He bitterly thought out loud.

Squalo knew that beyond his fatherly affection for Alyssum, there lurked something else, but he acted like it was nothing, just friendship. He had only once acknowledged that it was more...deep and lasting and devoted and aggressive than mere friendship, and that was when he realized that he wasn't the only one who felt that way.

What was he thinking?! He can't do that, ignoring the fact that he thought of her as his daughter for years, he was more than twice her age, forget the fact that she only knew him and about six others. It may be love, but it might just be some shadowy thing that resembled love.

Squalo shook his head, no, he knew it was love because of the way she kissed him. Thinking back, it had always been obvious that they loved each other. It was clear in how she favored him, how he was open and more mellow with her, how they looked at each other, how they stuck up for each other, how they cared more about the other's well being than their own, and just in the way they smiled at each other or said the other one's name.

Yes, it was love between them. True love that just seemed to be a fairy tale, true love that would destroy the other in the event of one's death, true love that would last no matter what hardship or obstacle. Yes, they had started out as family, and now they were soul mates.

* * *

Don't hit me, I need to end this fic! Yes, this is the second to last chapter. I was planing on this part, but I'm not sure it connects well to the rest of the fic. Well, I think it does, in some way, so yeah. Oh, and thank you so much for the reviews! It really helped me to keep writing this fic and finish it! But I do have one question, is this fic M or T rated?


	7. Epilogue: Ten Years Later

Epilogue:Ten Years later....

Mammon: Mammon had died well before this mark, or so the reports say. The lack of evidence or even a body do little to support the claim either way.

Bel: Belphegor "Prince the Ripper" had left the long long disbanded Varia in order to pursue his future as king. However, he still keeps in contact with the mafia world and his fellow ex-Varia members and their families.

Moska: Gola Moska had been destroyed in the Ring Conflict and all other Moska units of this or anytime had been destroyed as a whole, but of course a certain mini version was still free and well, all thanks to a certain man named Spanner.

Levi: Levi had disappeared in the underground mafia scene, so not much is known.

Lussuria: Lussuria stayed within the Vongola to be close to the sun guardian, much to the later's annoyance and his wife Hana's fury. He is stationed at the main HQ in Italy.

Flan or what ever his name is: Who cares? Bel probably killed him before taking the throne. Yeah, let's go with that.

Xanxus: Xanxus serves the Vongola 10th, under the Vongola 9th's name even still, and has since joined Tsuna and his group.

Squalo and Alyssum: Squalo and Alyssum, credited with the internal downfall of the Varia, live a peaceful and joyous wedded life, with Squalo working as a trainer for the Vongola and Alyssum working with Haru and Kyoko as the nannies. They haven't stopped loving each other at all since they first came together.

* * *

Ok, here it is. Do your worst. Oh, and remember that I do not own the KHR universe, just Alyssum and this fic.


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